California State University, Monterey Bay

California State University, Monterey Bay, in the California State University system, is located in the city of Seaside, California, on the Monterey Peninsula. It is located on the site of the former Fort Ord. Much of the school's curriculum stresses multicultural approaches to learning as opposed to the traditional based curriculum of many U.S. institutions of higher learning. In 2006 Dianne F. Harrison was elected from 3 candidates to be the new President of the University^*. Harrison was the vice president for academic quality and external programs at Florida State University before accepting the appointment at CSUMB.

California State University, Monterey Bay, or CSUMB, was founded September 25, 1994 with a student enrollment of 654 students. With the constant growth of the campus, the enrollment increased to 3551 in 2002. As of 2002, the campus was 60.8% female and 39.2% male. The ethnic background of the students was as follows: 45.8% White/Caucasian, 26% Latino/Hispanic/Chicano/Mexican American, 4% Black/African American, 3.9% Asian American, 2.2% Pacific Islander, 1% Native American, 3.4% other with 13.8% not stated. As of 2002, there were 334 faculty members: 128 fulltime faculty (43% tenured, 33.6% tenured-track, 18.7% fulltime lecturer) and 206 Part-time Lecturers.

Academics

As an academic institution, CSUMB differs from all other universities. CSUMB implements outcome based learning, helping students to gain an edge and be more prepared for post-college life. Students are required to work in the community through service learning, internships, and action research before completing their Capstone project, which demonstrates the cumulative learning and abilities they have gained in their majors.

CSUMB majors:

Business Administration, B.S.
Earth Systems Science & Policy (ESSP), B.S
Global Studies
Health & Human Services, B.A.
Human Communication, B.A.
Human Performance & Wellness, B.S.
Integrated Studies, B.A.
Liberal Studies, B.A.
Mathematics, B.S.
Music & Performing Arts, B.A.
Social & Behavioral Sciences, B.A.
Telecommunications, Multimedia, Applied Computing (TMAC), B.S.
Teledramatic Arts & Technology, B.A.
Visual & Public Art, B.A.
World Languages & Culture, B.A.

CSUMB graduate programs

Student life

A majority of CSUMB students live on campus. The campus offers residence halls, or dorms, located close to all campus facilities, single student apartments and suites, and family apartment-style living on the east side of the campus. All communities are located conveniently close to campus. Students can walk, drive or take the campus shuttle to classes and activities.

As with other colleges, CSUMB students enjoy partying. A popular location for these parties are the on campus apartments on east campus. Trenton and Princeton Courts, streets in the east campus housing have become notorious for parties and one can usually be found raging into the night on most evenings. Students also enjoy going into nearby downtown Monterey or Santa Cruz on weekends where there are a few bars and dance clubs frequented by students and locals. The Campus Police Department is notoriously active at CSUMB, and it's not uncommon to see the red and blue lights of CSUMB's finest flashing in or around the housing units. Crime on those areas patrolled by Campus Police is high for a University of CSUMB's size. The Clery Act report for 2004 found 5 incidents of forcible sex (Down from 2002's total of 7), 42 drug related violations, 25 counts of burglary, and 107 liquor law violations. Sex offenses are abnormally high at CSUMB with 5 incidents reported in 2004. Compare these with other campuses for 2004 (Sonoma State: 0, Long Beach State: 0, Sacramento State: 1, Fullerton: 0) and only the much larger Fresno State campus comes close with 4 incidents reported in 2004.

Clubs are a popular activity at CSUMB. Some popular clubs are the Black Student Union, Anime Club, Pride, M.E.Ch.A, EMPOWER and the Business Club. The Associated Students (Student Government) at CSUMB offers a variety of committees and organizations for students to take part in. Some current groups are the Academic Committee, Diversity Council, Environmental Committee, Lobby Corps, Public Relations Committee and the Technology Committee.

Athletics

CSUMB athletes and sports teams are called the Otters. A member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)Division II , the Otters are also members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Otters field fourteen sports for men and women for the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Fall sports for men include cross country and soccer. Fall sports for women include cross country, soccer, and volleyball. The winter sport for men is basketball. The winter sport for women is basketball. Spring sports for men include baseball and golf. Spring sports for women include golf, softball, and water polo. CSUMB also has a coed sailing team which competes in the fall and spring (although the spring season is more important).

CSU Monterey Bay is now part of NCAA Division II after being a member of the California Pacific Conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The Otter Sports Center is the home to the CSUMB Otter's Mens and Women's Basketball and Women's Volleyball teams. The Sports Center is affectionately known as "The Kelp Bed" referencing the floating home of the Sea Otter.

CSUMB's baseball program begins with the start of the 2006 Baseball season. The team is coached by former San Francisco Giant and locally born Rich Aldrete.

Arts

Programs at CSUMB are interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary. In the arts, students can major in Music and Performing Arts (MPA), Teledramatic Arts and Technology (TAT), and VIsual and Public Arts (VPA).

The World Theater is a performing arts venue that presents campus events such as guest lectures and screenings, student capstones (thesis projects) and Capstone Festivals. They present a professional performing arts season of performance, music and dance.

The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department offers cross-disciplinary study and practice of media and live performance. The program integrates the traditional disciplines of theatre, radio, broadcast, film and new media.

The Visual & Public Arts Department displays their original artwork throughout the campus with public installations and murals that paint the campus.

Music & Performing Arts Department offers choirs and activities to enrich the culture of CSUMB. They include a Gospel Choir, a Chorale and many music performers and lecturers.

The Black Box Cabaret

CSUMB students do have one venue that is all theirs. The Black Box Cabaret has been the home of student expression since the birth of CSUMB. It opened in 1996, when students, faculty and staff took a military building, originally put up temporarily, and created the BBC, a place for students and the community to express themselves.

In 2000, the BBC was shut down when it failed to comply with ADA regulations. With no plans to re-open the BBC, the students took it upon themselves and shouted "Our Box! Our choice!" 350 students and community members marched, chanted and rallied to save the building.

Students approved a $40 student fee to fund the BBC's renovation, ensuring the Box would re-open. Summer 2001 saw the beginning of renovation and February 2002 saw the re-opening of the Black Box Cabaret.

Since its original opening, the BBC has showcased student art, visual, theatrical and musical. It offers food, drink and alcohol. Students enjoy studying, socializing and the entertainment the BBC has to offer.

Interestingly, the Black Box Cabaret was the site of the last known public performance by Japanese Rock Group Guitar Wolf before their original bassist Bass Wolf died in 2005.

CSUMB Presidential History

	Name	Commenced term	Ended term
1.	Dr. Peter Smith	1994	2005
	Diane Cordero de Noriega (Interim)	2005	2006
2.	Dianne F. Harrison (Current)	2006	-

External links

California State University | Universities and colleges in California | Western Association of Schools and Colleges